Well packing device



Aug.,27, 1940. 'URQE 2,212,619

WELL PACKING DEVICE Original Filed March 4, 1937 3V Sheets-Sheet 1 Ellulzefigf Woe Au 27 19400 I E 5 I 2,212,,w

WELL PACKING DEVIC E Original Filed March 4, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug-1 E. J. ROE 2,

I WELL PACKING, DEVICE Original Filed March 4, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Aug. 27, 1940 UNITED STATES 1 PATENT OFFICE WELL PACKING DEVICE Emmett J. Roe, Wichita, Kans., assignor of onehalf to P. A. McKenna Application March 4, 1937, Serial No. 129,033

' Renewed February 21, 1940 12 Claims.

In practice, it is found that during the of oil or gas wells, or after the well has been drilled, it frequently happens that water will break through the oil bearing sands and enter the well, resulting in a mixing of the water with the oil, as well as a reduction in the flow of oil which is highly objectionable and costly to the oil producers.

Heretofore, various methods have been employed to shut oii the flow of water into the well,

but these have not proved very successful and are very diflicult and costly to apply. The two most successful methods, of which I know at the present time, are the lead wool and cement methods. The lead wool is applied by lowering the wool in a screen container to the bottom of the well and then driving the same into sealing engagement with the walls of the well by use of a heavy string of cable drilling tools. As the sand wall of the well is soft, the driving operation has a 25 tendency to weaken the wall and sooner or later results in the water breaking through around the plug. When plugging a well with cement there is great danger of some of the cement getting into the walls of the oil bearing sands and re- $0 ducing the flow of oil.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a mechanical plug which may be easily installed in the well to be plugged and when installed will efiectively'seal the well and g5: shut off the flow of water,

A further object. of the invention resides in providing a plug having an expansible body designed to establish a tight seal with the walls of a. well when expanded and means operable by the so application of pressure to expand the body to an operative position.

Another-object of the invention is to provide a device oi the above-mentioned-character which is simple and durable in construction, reliable,

do and efficient in operation and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the fol= lowing description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals pressure screw, and anchor member, with a part of the post shown in cross section,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the wrench for turning the pressure screw,

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the central post, I Fig. 5 is a side elevation of one of the wallgripping rings,

type of packing device, 20

Fig. 10a is an enlarged detail section of the groove for holding the sealing paste,-

Fig. 11 is an end view of the packer shown in Fig. 10, and

Fig. 12 is a cross section taken on line l2|2 of Fig. 10.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration I have shown the preferred embodiments of my invention, the numeral 5 denotes a tubular expansible body, constructed of rubber .30 or other suitable material, which is mounted on a supporting frame consisting of upper and lower disks 6 and 1 connected together by a plurality of rods 3, secured to the disks by nuts 9. The rods are arranged around the center of the in spaced relation, and disposed between the disks and within the area surrounded by the rods is a central longitudinal post 118 which is substantially square in cross section with its corhers notched, as at i i, to receive the rods h, which serve to guide the post in its longitudinal movement. The upper end of the post it is provided with a central circular recess i2 to receive the nose it of a pressure screw i l, establishing a swivel connection between the pressure screw and g5 post. The screw M is rotatably connectedto the upper end of the post it by a clamping plate 65 which is mounted in an annular groove i6 formed in the screw directly above the nose, the plate being fixedly attached to the upper endof the post by bolts ii. A bushing 68 is mounted on the screw M above the plate 35 having interior screw threads for engagementwith'the right hand threads is formed on the screw. The lower end of the bushing is provided exteriorly with left hand screw-threads 20 for engagement with the threads of an opening 2i through the center of the upper disk 6 and the upper-end ofthebushing is conical shape and provided with right hand screw threads 2!, the purpose of which 3 will be set forth hereinafter. The pressure screw i4 extends above the bushing and its extreme upper end 22 is of hexagonal shape in cross section to engage in a correspondingly shaped socket 23 of a wrench 24. The socket 23 is formed within the bore 25 of the wrench body, the bore above the socket .being circular in cross section, and below the socket it is conical shape, as at 25', and provided with screw threads 25, for engagement with the conical threaded end 2| of the bushing i8. The upper end of the wrench body is reduced and threaded, as at 26, for connection with a string of well tubing, not shown,-

by means of which the wrench is turned. With the end 22 of the pressure screw l4 engaged in the socket 23 of the wrench, a turning of the wrench will rotate the pressure screw which is caused to move downwardly by the screw threads [9, thereby exerting a downward pressure on the post I0. If it is desired to retract the post III, the Wrench is lowered on the pressure screw to disengage the upper end of the screw from the socket 23 and bring the conical end of the wrench into engagement with the conical end of the bushing l8, so that by screwing the wrench down on the bushing, the bushing is turned in the disk 6 and by reason of the left hand threads 20 the bushing moves upwardly from the disk carrying the pressure screw with it, thus retracting the post. Rotation of the post is prevented by engagement of the square socket 21' in the lower end of the post with the square upper end 21 of a shaft 28 which is fixedly secured in the lower disk I bya nut 29. The shaft extends downwardly through a central opening 30 in the closed lower end 3| of the body 5 and secured on the lower end of the shaft 28, by nuts 3|, is a substantially U-shape spring anchor member 32 adapted to grip the walls of the well hole and hold the body 5 against rotary movement when the pressure screw is turned.

The post ill, at spaced intervals throughout its length, is providedwith recesses 33 in each of its sides and on each side of the recesses are apertured ears 34 between which one end of the lugs 35 are pivotally mounted by means of pivot pins 36. The opposite ends of the lugs 35 are pivptally connected to arcuate shaped jaws 31, the inner wall of which are provided with central recesses 38 in which the lugs are pivotally secured by pivot pins 39. The lower edges of the jaws rest on supporting plates 40 mounted on the rods .8 which are held against movement on the rods by cotter pins 4|. Each set of jaws when expanded forms a perfect circle, as shown in Fig. I, applying an equal pressure around the entire wall of the body 5, the adjacent ends of the jaws being, respectively, provided with interfitting tongues 42 and slots 43 which permit contraction of the Jaws, as clearly shown in Fig. 8. When the post In moves downwardly, the lugs 35 swing outwardly and slide the jaws 31 laterally against the inner wall of the body 5, thereby expanding the body 5 to effect a seal between the body 5 and wall of the well at those points where the expansion jaws are located. To establish a tight fit between the body 5 and wall of the well the body is provided, at points opposite each set of expansion jaws, with wall-gripping rings 44 which are seated in annular grooves 45 formed in the outer wall of the body. These rings are more clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and consist of a metal ring split circumferentially, as at 46, to

form'the interlapping sections 41, 48 and 49, the section 48 being transversely cut at the point 50 and freely expansible for the greater portion of its length. The outer face of the section 4| is tapered to form a sharp ridge normally disposed on a plane with the outer faces of the sections 41 and 49 which are split transversely at the point 5| to allow full expansion of all the ring sections. On each side of the ring grooves 45 the outer wall of the body is provided with additional annular grooves 52 for holding a paste compound 53 which when pressed into the wall of the well will effect a seal that will resist acids and other foreign elements found in salt water.

In Fig. 9, a slightly modified form of the device is shown which is of identically the same construction as the device heretofore described with the exception of the pressure applying means and anchor means at the bottom. In some instances, it is desirable to apply a driving force to actuate the post l0 and expand the body 5 into sealing engagement with the walls of the well. In order to operate the device by a driving force, which is supplied by a string of drilling tools, the pressure screw I4 and bushing it are removed and a drive rod 54 is inserted through the opening in the disk 6 and threaded into the socket in the upper end of the post III, as at 55. A head 56 is formed integral with the upper end of the rod 54 and upon striking the head a blow, the post i0 is moved downwardly to expand the body 5. When this method of expanding the body is employed the anchor member 32 is removed and a post 51 is threaded on the lower end of the shaft 28, the lower end of the post having a relatively large base 58 which rests on the bottom of the well.

In Figs. 10. 11 and 12 another form of the device in shown consisting of a tubular member 59 and post 60, telescopically fitted together. The outer ends of the member 59 and post 50 are provided with enlarged heads 60 and mounted between the heads is a tubular expansible body 6|, provided in its outer wall with gripping rings 62 and sealing paste-holding grooves 53. The inner wall of the tubular member 59 has a series of annular ratchet teeth 64 which are engaged by the spring pressed latches 85 carried in the walls of the post 60. The latches are disposed in longitudinal slots 66 formed in the walls of the post, one end of the latches being loosely connected to the bottom of the slots by bolts 61, while the opposite ends are normally pressed outwardly by coil springs 68 seated in pockets 63 in the bottom of the slots. When the post and tubular member are pressed together by a driving force, the body BI is compressed between the heads 53' expanding the body into gripping engagement with the walls of the well, and the body is locked in its expanded position by the latches engaging the teeth 64 as the post and the tubular member slide together.

In operation, when a break occurs in the walls of a well admitting water into the well, the packing device or plug is lowered into the well by use of a string of well tubing which connects with the upper end of the wrench body 24 disposed on the upper end of the pressure screw H with its conical end in threaded engagement with the upper end of the bushing l8. After the plug is properly positioned with respect to the break in the well, v

the well tubing is turned to release the-wrench 24 from connection with the bushing II and is ing the wrenchtums the pressure screw H which moves downwardly by the action of the screw threads l9, thereby exerting a downward pressure on thepost M, which through the lugs 35force I the jaws 31 laterally to expand the flexible body 5 into engagement with the walls of the well. A tight seal is efiected between the body 5 and walls of the well by the expansible gripping rings 44 tubular member.

and the sealing paste in the grooves 52 which is pressed ,into the Walls by the expansion of the body 5. If it is desired to re-adjust the plug after the same has been set, the wrench 24 is lowered on the pressure screw to bring its conical end into engagement with the upper end of the bushing l 8 and by then screwing the wrench down on the bushing, the bushing, by reason of the left hand threads 20, is caused to move upwardly raising the pressure screw and post ID to retract the jaws 31 and release the body from engagement with the walls of the well. In some instances, circumstances require -that a driving force be used to set the plug in place, the force being supplied by a string of drilling tools. If a driving force is to be employed to set the plug, a driving .rod 54 is substituted for the pressure screw and a post 51 is attached to the shaft 28 in place of the anchor member 32, as shown in Fig. 9. As the rod 54 is directly connected to the post ID, the striking of the rod 54- with a string of drilling tools will move the post l0 downwardly, thus actuating the lugsv 35 to move the jaws 31 laterally and expand the body 5 The modified type of plug shown in Figs. 10, 11, and.12 is also set by applying a.driving force to move the telescoping post 60 and tubular member 59 together, which expands the body 6| into sealing engagement with the walls of the well. The tubular member and post are locked together by the latches 66 carried by the post which engage the ratchet teeth 64 .formed in the inner walls of the In all of the various types of packing devices shown in my drawings the flexible body is expanded into sealing engagement with the walls of the well, by expansion means operable by the application of pressure. The

I pressure may be supplied by a screw rod or driving rod depending on the drilling equipment which happens to be available at the time the packing device is set in the well. All types are equally eflective in shutting ofl the flow of water and function in substantially thsame manner.

It is to be understood that the forms of my invention herein shown and described are to be taken as preferred ,examples of the same and that certain changes in-the shape, size and arrangement oi the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subioined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A well packing device comprising a tubular flexible body, expansible jaws mounted in said body at spaced intervals for expanding said body uniformly throughout its length, and reciprocable. means for actuating said jaws.

2. A well packing device comprising a tubular flexible body, wall-gripping rings mounted in the outer wall of said body, sealing paste-holding grooves surrounding said body on opposite sides of said rings and means for expanding said body.

3. A well packing device comprising a tubular flexible body, expansible jaws mounted in said body, at spaced intervals, wall-gripping rings surrounding said body opposite said jaws and 'meamfor expandingsaldjaws.

4. A well packing device comprising a tubular flexible body, a plurality of sets of expansible jaws mounted in said body at spaced intervals, the jaws of each set being arranged circumferentially of the inner wall of said body and having interfitting tongues and slots in their adjacent ends, and means for expanding said jaws.

5. A well packing device comprising a tubular flexible body, a plurality of sets of expansible jaws mounted in said body, the jaws of each set being arranged circumferentially of the innerwall of said body, a central post mounted to reciprocate in said body and means connecting said post with said jaws for expanding and contracting said jaws when said post is moved.

6. A well packing device comprising a tubular flexible body, a central post mounted to reciprocate in said body, expansible jaws actuated by said post for expanding said body, and pressure screw mounted in the upper end of said body for reciprocating said post.

. 7. A well packing device comprising a tubular flexible body, a central post mounted to reciprocute in said body, expansible jaws actuated by said post for expanding said body, and a driving rod slidably mounted in the upper end of said body for moving said post to expand said jaws.

8. A well packing device comprising a tubular flexible body, a central post mounted to reciprocate in said body, expansible jaws actuatedby said post for expanding said body, means at the upper end of said body for moving said post, and anchoring means at the lower end of said body.

9. A well packing device comprising a tubular flexible body, a central post mounted to reciprocate in said body, expansible jaws actuated by said post for expanding said body, means in the upper end of said body for moving said post, and a spring anchor member at the lower end of said body to hold said body from turning;

' 10. A well packing device comprising a flexible tubular body, upper and lower disks mounted in said body, a plurality of rods extending between said disks and connected thereto, a central post mounted to reciprocate between said rods and guided thereby, a shaft mounted in said lower disk and extending below the bottom of said body, an anchor member connected to the lower end of said shaft, expansible jaws connected with said post for expanding said body, and means mounted in said upper disk for actuating said I post.

11. A well packing device comprising a flexible body, upper and lower disks mounted in said body,

, a plurality of rods extending between said disks and connected thereto, a central post mounted to reciprocate longitudinally of said body, said post being guided by said rods, a series of plates mounted on said rods, at spaced intervals, expansible jaws slidably mounted on said plates, lugs connecting said jaws with said post adapted to expand said jaws upon downward movement of said post, anchor means connected to saidlower disk, and means mounted in said upper disk for moving said post downwardly.

12. A well packing device comprising a tubular flexible body. sealing paste holding means in the outer wall of said body and expansible jaws mounted within said body for expanding the body into engagement with the wall of the well.

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